Scientific Project Coordinator | “The Challenges of Applying Muslim Family Law in Democratic Liberal States: A Comparative Action-Research Project”

The Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology in Halle (Saale) is one of the leading centres for research in social anthropology. Common to all research projects at the Max Planck Institute is the comparative analysis of social change; it is primarily in this domain that its researchers contribute to anthropological theory, though many programmes also have applied significance and political topicality.
 

We are looking for a

Scientific Project Coordinator

starting as soon as possible to join the Volkswagen Foundation-funded project “The Challenges of Applying Muslim Family Law in Democratic Liberal States: A Comparative Action-Research Project”

Project description
The proposed research seeks to contribute to the burgeoning scholarship on Muslim family law (hereafter MFL) and human rights by conducting a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and comparative study of the accommodation of selected issues surrounding marriage and its dissolution in four countries: Israel, the UK, Germany, and Italy. The project will address the following research questions: (1) What forms of accommodation of Islamic normativities have been applied in the studied countries and by whom?; (2) How does each of the four countries reconcile the accommodation of MFL with their transnational, international, and constitutional obligations to uphold human rights and gender equality?; (3) Are Sharīʿah accommodation efforts initiated by the countries’ legislators, or do they arise from the cumulative rulings of judges I combination with targeted grassroots initiatives of civil society groups and feminist activists?; (4) How do the different actors implementing MFL – civil courts and tribunals,Sharīʿah Courts, Sharīʿah Councils, and/or Islamic bodies – affect the application of Islamic law?
Ultimately, the goal is to develop a comparative framework that would allow to synthesize the insights gained through the project into a set of model guidelines for policymakers seeking to accommodate Islamic normativities in a manner that accords with international human rights and that responds to the claims of Muslims living as a minority in Europe.
 

Essential Duties & Responsibilities
 

• Organization and planning:
  • Supporting the project partners in creating and maintaining research plans, schedules, and plans for use of personnel and material resources
  • Drafting the cooperation agreement together with the participating project partners
  • Planning and organization of scientific events such as a concluding conference
  • Supporting development of research network

• Communication:
  • Functioning as central contact person for members of the project team 
  • Organization, moderation, and recording minutes of meetings with the project partners
  • Reporting and communication with the third-party funder and MPI personnel

• Controlling and monitoring:
  • Monitoring and control of budget
  • Ensuring use of project funds in accordance with requirements and timely expense accounting by all partners
  • Regular review of project progress
  • Drafting of status reports and project overviews and ensuring that reporting requirements to third-party funder are fulfilled

• Documentation:
  • Archiving and management of contracts, invoices, and reports
  • Development of a publishing strategy for dissemination of research results

Your Profile

• Graduate degree (state board examinations, master, or the equivalent) in law or a social science; doctorate preferred
• Research experience or a scientific interest in relevant research areas: legal studies, Islam, family law, migration, human rights
• Professional experience in coordinating scientific projects
• Analytical thinker, capable of taking responsibility and working in a self-directed manner
• Team player with excellent communicative and organizational skills
• Excellent command of German and English (written and spoken)

Our Offer
The position offers an interesting and varied field of opportunity with opportunities to exercise responsibility as part of a friendly and welcoming team at an international institution.

This is a fixed-term position through the end of the project funding period until 31 December 2030. It will be part-time (50%, 19.5 hours/week) for the first two years and transition to full time (39 hours/week) in the third year. The salary is based on the pay scale of the collective wage agreement for the civil service (TVöD-Bund), pay group 13, and includes social benefits in accordance with the rules for public-sector employment, such as a company pension scheme, year-end bonus, and performance bonus. In addition, we offer flexible working hours and remote work options, a subsidized job ticket, a workplace health programme, and childcare options through agreements with local daycare centres. The place of work is Halle (Saale).

The Max Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and expressly welcomes applications from individuals with disabilities.

The Max Planck Society strives to ensure gender equality and diversity. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore expressly encourages women to apply.

Contact
Have we awoken your interest? We look forward to receiving your application, including covering letter, CV, and diplomas/training certificates and letters of reference (Arbeitszeugnisse) by 31 March 2026. Please apply online at:

If you have any questions about the application, please contact:
Human resources management